Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are chronic wounds that are notoriously difficult to heal, thus leading to an exaggerated amputation rate in the diabetic population. Stem cells, through their inherent ability to secrete pro-healing cytokines/growth factors and cellular differentiation capabilities, are a promising regenerative approach to assist in wound healing for DFU patients. This chapter will focus on the underlying pathologic wound healing in the diabetic phenotype and the promising regenerative effects of stem cell treatments as adjuncts to wound healing for DFU. It will also detail the differing types of stem cells with their respective therapeutic effects, stem cell delivery systems for DFU treatment, and the future of stem cell therapies.